Best Zero Trust Network Access Tools for Small Business

Zero trust network access tools help small businesses replace broad VPN access with more precise, identity-aware access to private resources. Instead of putting a user “on the network,” a ZTNA tool should grant access only to the app, server, database, admin panel, or internal service that user is allowed to reach.

That matters because small businesses now have remote employees, contractors, cloud admin consoles, private SaaS tools, developer systems, and customer data spread across more places than a traditional office VPN was designed to protect.

Quick recommendations

• Best practical first shortlist for SMB ZTNA: Twingate and Cloudflare Access.
• Best simpler business VPN/ZTNA blend: NordLayer.
• Best if identity and device management are also immature: JumpCloud.
• Best for security-mature teams with larger requirements: Zscaler Private Access and Netskope Private Access.
• Best if you want a managed SASE-style package: Check Point Perimeter 81.
• Best planning resources: use the remote access/security checklist and compare Twingate vs VPN before migration.

What ZTNA should do

A useful ZTNA product usually provides some combination of:

• Identity-provider integration with Google Workspace, Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, JumpCloud, or another IdP
• MFA and conditional access support
• Access to specific private apps, servers, ports, or resources
• Connectors or agents deployed near private resources
• Device posture checks or endpoint trust signals
• Contractor and temporary access controls
• Logging and audit trails
• Admin policy controls by user, group, device, location, resource, or risk
• Split tunnelling or app-specific routing rather than full network tunnelling
• SIEM, ticketing, or alerting integrations for security teams

The important word is specific. If the tool mostly gives users broad subnet access, it may still be useful, but it is closer to a modern VPN than true least-privilege ZTNA.

When a small business should replace VPN

Consider ZTNA when one or more of these are true:

• Remote users only need a few internal resources, not full network access.
• Contractors need limited access that should expire cleanly.
• VPN users can reach too many servers after login.
• VPN performance, client support, or routing is painful.
• Admin interfaces, databases, RDP, SSH, or internal web apps need tighter controls.
• The company is preparing for SOC 2, ISO 27001, cyber insurance review, or customer security questionnaires.
• Identity, MFA, and offboarding have become central security controls.

Do not migrate just because “zero trust” sounds modern. If your identity data is messy, shared admin accounts exist, MFA is inconsistent, and nobody owns device management, fix those basics first. Pair this work with the SaaS security checklist for startups and password manager rollout checklist.

Comparison table

Tool	Best fit	Strengths	Watchouts
Twingate	SMBs replacing VPN with resource-level private access	Practical connector model, strong least-privilege fit, good SMB relevance	Requires resource modelling, connector deployment, and access policy ownership
Cloudflare Access	Teams with web apps, Cloudflare footprint, and internet-edge security needs	Identity-aware access, broad Zero Trust suite, strong web-app protection story	Non-web/private network use cases need careful architecture validation
NordLayer	Smaller teams wanting a managed business VPN/ZTNA transition	Simpler buying and rollout, familiar VPN-style experience, business security controls	May be less granular than specialist ZTNA for complex private-resource policies
JumpCloud	Teams that also need identity, device, and directory foundations	Directory, device management, identity, and access controls in one stack	ZTNA fit depends on broader JumpCloud adoption and exact resource needs
Zscaler Private Access	Larger or security-mature organisations standardising private app access	Mature enterprise ZTNA, strong policy and security ecosystem	Can be more complex and expensive than small businesses need
Netskope Private Access	Security-led teams already considering SSE/SASE	Private access inside broader data/security platform	Best value usually comes with broader Netskope ecosystem adoption
Check Point Perimeter 81	SMBs wanting managed SASE-style access and network security	Business-friendly SASE packaging, remote access, network security controls	Confirm current packaging after Check Point integration and exact ZTNA granularity

Best zero trust network access tools for small business

Twingate

Twingate is one of the strongest SMB-first ZTNA options because it focuses on replacing broad VPN access with resource-level controls. Users get access to specific private resources through lightweight connectors, identity-provider authentication, and policy rules.

For small businesses, the appeal is practical. You can start with a few important resources: an internal admin site, SSH access to a server, a database, or an RDP host. That is a more manageable migration than trying to redesign the entire network at once.

Twingate is not magic, though. Someone still has to define resources, deploy connectors, map groups, document emergency access, and monitor logs. Read our Twingate review and Twingate vs VPN before using it as a VPN replacement.

Best for: small businesses that want real least-privilege private access without traditional VPN concentrator pain.

Cloudflare Access

Cloudflare Access is part of Cloudflare Zero Trust and is often a strong fit for teams that already use Cloudflare or need identity-aware access to internal web apps. It can sit in front of applications and require identity, MFA, and policy checks before users connect.

For small businesses, Cloudflare can be attractive because the platform covers more than ZTNA: DNS, web security, tunnels, access policies, gateway controls, and broader edge security. That can reduce vendor sprawl if your architecture fits.

The watchout is use-case fit. Cloudflare Access is especially strong for web applications and Cloudflare-connected environments. If your main need is SSH, RDP, databases, thick clients, or complex private networks, ask for a demo using your exact workflows.

Best for: web-app-heavy teams and businesses already comfortable with Cloudflare.

NordLayer

NordLayer is a practical option for smaller companies that want a managed business remote-access product without jumping straight into enterprise ZTNA complexity. It can fit teams replacing consumer VPN habits, securing remote employees, and adding business controls around access.

The advantage is simplicity. Some small businesses do not need a deep security architecture project; they need better remote access, team management, admin controls, and a clearer vendor relationship than ad hoc VPN usage.

The trade-off is granularity. If you need highly specific access to individual private resources, advanced device posture, detailed logging, and complex policy design, compare NordLayer against Twingate or Cloudflare carefully.

Best for: small teams wanting a simpler managed business VPN/ZTNA transition.

JumpCloud

JumpCloud belongs on the shortlist when remote access is only one piece of a bigger identity and device-management gap. It provides directory, identity, device, and access-management capabilities that can help small businesses mature from scattered accounts and local admin habits.

That matters because ZTNA depends on identity quality. If your group membership, MFA, offboarding, and device ownership are weak, buying a standalone ZTNA product will not fix the foundation.

JumpCloud is not always the direct replacement for a specialist ZTNA product. Evaluate it when you want identity, device, and access controls together, and ask how private-resource access works for your specific systems.

Best for: businesses that need identity and device foundations as much as remote access.

Zscaler Private Access

Zscaler Private Access is a mature enterprise ZTNA product. It is usually strongest for larger organisations, security-mature teams, and companies standardising access across many private applications and users.

A small business might consider Zscaler if it has enterprise-grade security requirements, many locations, high compliance pressure, or a security team already evaluating broader Zscaler services. For a typical 20-100 person business, it may be more platform than necessary.

If you evaluate it, focus on implementation scope, support model, pricing, and whether your team can operate the policy framework without creating bottlenecks.

Best for: security-mature SMBs and mid-market teams with enterprise-style private access needs.

Netskope Private Access

Netskope Private Access is relevant when a company is looking at ZTNA as part of a broader security service edge or SASE strategy. It fits buyers who also care about cloud security, data controls, web access, and security analytics across users and applications.

For small businesses, Netskope is most likely to make sense when there is already a security owner and a broader roadmap. If you only need to replace one VPN for a few internal tools, a narrower product may be easier.

Ask for demos around your actual private apps, device posture, logs, and policy conditions. Also ask what value requires adopting other Netskope modules.

Best for: security-led teams that want private access inside a broader SSE/SASE platform.

Check Point Perimeter 81

Perimeter 81, now part of Check Point, is commonly considered by SMBs and mid-market teams looking for a business-friendly SASE or zero trust access package. It can be appealing when buyers want remote access, network security, and admin controls from a managed vendor rather than assembling separate tools.

The practical buying question is current packaging. Confirm how Check Point positions the product now, what is included, and whether your desired ZTNA features are available on the plan you are evaluating.

It can be a good fit for teams that want a smoother business buying experience, but you should still validate least-privilege resource access rather than assuming every SASE product behaves the same.

Best for: SMBs that want managed remote access and network security in a SASE-style package.

Shortlist criteria

1. Identity integration

ZTNA should connect cleanly to your identity provider. Confirm SSO, MFA, SCIM user provisioning, group sync, contractor handling, and offboarding. If identity is wrong, access policy will be wrong.

2. Resource-level access

Ask whether policies apply to specific apps, hostnames, ports, protocols, groups, and environments. Avoid products that force broad subnet access when users only need one admin panel.

3. Device posture

Decide whether access should depend on managed devices, OS version, disk encryption, endpoint security, certificate presence, browser posture, or MDM state. Device trust is often the difference between “remote access” and serious access control.

4. Connector architecture

Understand where connectors, agents, tunnels, or gateways run. Ask about high availability, updates, outbound-only connectivity, firewall changes, latency, and what happens during control-plane outages.

5. Logging and incident response

Small businesses still need useful logs. Confirm login events, policy decisions, denied attempts, resource access, admin changes, exports, retention, and SIEM/webhook options. For broader security tooling, compare SaaS security posture management tools.

6. User experience

If access is painful, users will route around it. Test client install, browser access, reconnect behaviour, mobile support, passwordless or MFA flows, and performance on real networks.

7. Break-glass access

Document emergency access before migration. What happens if your IdP is down, the ZTNA vendor is unavailable, a connector fails, or an administrator locks out the wrong group?

Pricing and implementation notes

ZTNA pricing may depend on users, devices, resources, connectors, gateways, bandwidth, log retention, support tier, and broader platform modules. A cheap plan can become expensive if the features you need sit behind enterprise packaging.

Before purchase, ask:

• Are SSO, SCIM, audit logs, and device posture included?
• How many connectors or gateways are needed for resilience?
• Are contractors billed like employees?
• How long are logs retained?
• Can policies be exported or backed up?
• What support is available during VPN migration?

Implementation should start small. Pick one high-value resource and one everyday workflow. Migrate those first, then expand by group and resource. Do not copy old VPN subnets into the new tool and call it zero trust.

Common buying mistakes

Buying ZTNA before fixing identity. Weak MFA, stale users, and messy groups will undermine the rollout.

Recreating the VPN. Granting broad network ranges through a new product misses the point.

Ignoring contractors. Temporary access, expiry, device trust, and audit logs are often where small businesses get burned.

Forgetting emergency access. Every remote-access migration needs documented break-glass procedures.

Underestimating legacy protocols. RDP, SMB, printers, thick clients, databases, and old admin tools can complicate a clean ZTNA rollout.

Recommended migration plan

1. Inventory who uses the current VPN and what they actually access.
2. Remove stale users and require MFA before migration.
3. Pick one ZTNA pilot group and 3-5 specific resources.
4. Deploy connectors or tunnels with redundancy.
5. Write least-privilege policies by group and resource.
6. Test normal access, denied access, contractor access, logs, and break-glass recovery.
7. Migrate resource by resource instead of moving whole subnets at once.

What to compare next

For a direct product deep dive, read the Twingate review and Twingate vs VPN. For adjacent controls, compare password managers for remote teams, SaaS security posture management tools, and security awareness training. Use the security vendor due diligence checklist before choosing a remote-access vendor.

Read our product reviews

For deeper product-level detail, read our individual reviews:

• Twingate review
• NordLayer review
• JumpCloud review

FAQ

Is ZTNA the same as a VPN?

No. A VPN usually connects a user to a network. ZTNA should grant identity-aware access to specific applications or resources, reducing broad network exposure. Some vendors blend both models, so buyers should inspect the architecture carefully.

What is the best ZTNA tool for a small business?

For many small businesses, Twingate and Cloudflare Access are the first practical shortlist because they can provide resource-level access without traditional VPN concentrator management. NordLayer may suit teams that want a simpler managed business VPN/ZTNA blend.